Evidence of meeting #47 for Canadian Heritage in the 42nd Parliament, 1st Session. (The original version is on Parliament’s site, as are the minutes.) The winning word was veterans.

A recording is available from Parliament.

On the agenda

MPs speaking

Also speaking

Brad White  Dominion Secretary, Dominion Command, Royal Canadian Legion

5:05 p.m.

Liberal

Dan Vandal Liberal Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB

Thank you very much for your presentation. You've been very clear.

Basically, you're concerned that this is the thin edge of the wedge, that if it gets approved, then next it will be a national holiday. As I've said to Mr. Fraser, growing up in St. Boniface, Winnipeg, in Manitoba, it has been a holiday for all of my memory. If Remembrance Day falls on a Saturday, then it's either going to be Monday or Friday that is a holiday, likely Monday. It's celebrated in a pretty passionate form in Winnipeg, with a lot of youngsters, boys and girls.

In terms of my question, I have little idea of how Legions are organized across the country. Do you represent Legions from all over Canada?

5:05 p.m.

Dominion Secretary, Dominion Command, Royal Canadian Legion

Brad White

I am the executive director at the national level, so I run our national headquarters on behalf of the elected officers. Within the organization, if you want to take an inverse military relationship, branches are on top, and they decide how our policy is going to happen down at the bottom, at my level, at the national level.

We have over 1,440 branches across the country, in the States, with one in Mexico and one in Europe as well. In the country we have 10 provincial commands, as we call them, and they're paired with the territories as well. We have B.C.-Yukon, Alberta-Northwest Territories, and we have Nova Scotia-Nunavut. Those commands represent, within their areas of responsibility, the branches they have.

There are just over 275,000 members in the organization now, not all military. The majority of our members are actually military families—people who have the fathers or the uncles who have served in the military. We call ourselves a military family by and large.

When those branches operate, they respond to their provincial level, and then the provincial presidents form part of our national executive council. The council sits twice a year, in between conventions, which happen every two years. The council is really the governing body in between conventions, with the convention being our overarching governing body when it meets every two years.

That's the structure of the organization.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Dan Vandal Liberal Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB

There's no other parallel organization that's national in scope. Is your organization the one?

5:10 p.m.

Dominion Secretary, Dominion Command, Royal Canadian Legion

Brad White

I would say that we are the largest support organization for veterans and the community in the country. Last year we gave out $17.5 million to veterans who needed assistance, and that's directly from the poppy funds that we raise from the end of October through to November 11.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Dan Vandal Liberal Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB

You're the largest, so does that mean there are some other national organizations?

5:10 p.m.

Dominion Secretary, Dominion Command, Royal Canadian Legion

Brad White

There are other national veterans organizations, but not on the scale of the Legion.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Dan Vandal Liberal Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB

Okay.

5:10 p.m.

Dominion Secretary, Dominion Command, Royal Canadian Legion

Brad White

I like to say that the Legion walks its talk. We support veterans on the ground.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Dan Vandal Liberal Saint Boniface—Saint Vital, MB

I think I'm good, unless there are any...?

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS

If you would allow me, as Mr. Brassard said, I have six Legions in my riding. I believe the one in Sackville is the biggest one in Atlantic Canada. The work you do, the work the Legions do, to support veterans and military families is outstanding.

5:10 p.m.

Dominion Secretary, Dominion Command, Royal Canadian Legion

Brad White

Thank you.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS

I want to fully praise that.

What I've learned in the last year and half about how veterans help veterans is amazing. They are a support group that goes well beyond, right across the country.

5:10 p.m.

Dominion Secretary, Dominion Command, Royal Canadian Legion

Brad White

They are very much.

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS

It doesn't matter where they are. It's something very special. I can say that in the last year and half I have spent a lot of time with many veterans and military families in Legions. The education has been a very enriching opportunity for me.

Thank you for the continued work that you do.

February 21st, 2017 / 5:10 p.m.

Dominion Secretary, Dominion Command, Royal Canadian Legion

Brad White

Thank you, sir.

Are you a member?

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS

Yes. I had no choice.

5:10 p.m.

Voices

Oh, oh!

5:10 p.m.

Liberal

Darrell Samson Liberal Sackville—Preston—Chezzetcook, NS

I was told I should be.

No, I have been for a long time.

5:10 p.m.

Dominion Secretary, Dominion Command, Royal Canadian Legion

Brad White

Good.

Thank you.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Vice-Chair Conservative Larry Maguire

Thank you.

I'm just wondering if Mr. Nantel had any questions.

5:10 p.m.

NDP

Pierre Nantel NDP Longueuil—Saint-Hubert, QC

No, Mr. Chair.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Vice-Chair Conservative Larry Maguire

I think our questions have come to an end. If anyone else has anything to ask, now's the opportunity.

Thank you very much, Mr. White. On behalf of the committee, I really appreciate your presentation today. Your direct answers to the questions have been very informative. It's a big help to our committee.

5:10 p.m.

Dominion Secretary, Dominion Command, Royal Canadian Legion

Brad White

Thank you, sir.

Good luck with the discussion.

5:10 p.m.

Conservative

The Vice-Chair Conservative Larry Maguire

Thank you.

We'll just take a break for a minute or two. We'll call the committee back into session in a few minutes.

For anyone who's not on the committee, we'll ask you to take this opportunity to leave the room.

[Proceedings continue in camera]